Valerie Lynette was the sixth child of Lester and Julia Clark. Valerie was born on July 26, 1955 in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father, her mother, her sister Sharon and her husband, Glen Cotton, preceded her in death.

Valerie was baptized at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church by the late Rev. I. T. Moore when she was nine years old. As a child she participated in Sunday School, BTU, church services, Vacation Bible School and the Women’s Mission Union. Later in life she became a member of Oak Hill Baptist Church on Pershall Road.

Valerie was educated in the St. Louis Public School System. She graduated from Vashon High School in 1974. While in high school she participated in the Senior Band, the cheering squad and the gymnastics team. When she completed high school, she enlisted in the United States Air Force where she served from 1974 until 1976.

She met her first husband, Richard Flanagan while serving in the Airforce. They made their home in Marietta, Georgia. Together they had one son, Curtis Flanagan.

Valerie returned to St. Louis in 1981. She and Richard divorced shortly afterwards. While in St. Louis she was employed at Anheuser Buch where she was a Logistics Coordinator from 1984 until she retired.

Valerie was the proud mother of three children, Lavonda, Curtis and Chloe’. She met her second husband Glen Cotton in 1983. They married in 1989 and made their home in North St. Louis County where they raised their three children, LaVonda, Curtis and Chloe’. In the meantime, she returned to school and earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Phoenix, St. Louis campus in 2005.

Valerie departed this life on December 18, 2023. She leaves to mourn her passing her three children, LaVonda, Curtis, and Chloe’, eight grandchildren, Kendra (Fahrudin), Imani, Tyrique, Faith, Autumn, Ciarra, Evan, and Cherish. Three sisters: Ora, Janet (Melvin), and Brenda and two brothers, Lester (Janice) and Alguy (Lynda) and her life long friend Casetta Crocket; 14 nieces and nephews, and 7 first cousins and a host of other relatives and friends.